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Monday, September 3, 2012

A Lasting Memorial

A few years ago, I attended the 50th wedding anniversary celebration of a cousin and her husband at the Belden Methodist Church in Belden, Ohio. During the course of conversation, she happened to ask me if I had seen the stained glass window in the sanctuary that honored our ancestors. At that point in time, I had no idea that this window even existed. Of course, I had to go see the window.

The window faces north, so only indirect light shines through.

Seeing the names of my great-great grandparents in a stained glass window was a very warming experience for me.

Charles William (Karl Wilhelm) Pfeiffer came to the United States about 1850 with a sister, Barbara from Germany. While there were several brothers and sisters, it is believed that only these two, from this particular family, dared to venture to the new world. They settled in Cleveland, Ohio for a few years. Barbara married a Joseph Kerble (I would find out 150 years after she came to the U.S and is another story), while Charles married Sophia Ruegger in Medina County Ohio. Sophia and her family had come to the United States when Sophia was about 5 years old in 1847.

Charles and Sophia had eight children. Their son, Henry, my great-grandfather, also had eight children. Henry married Cora Benton, the daughter of William S. Benton and Allice Killmer/Kilmer.

Charles Pfeiffer learned the art of brick making with his father in Germany. Charles developed his own brickyard in Belden, Ohio and shipped his brick all over the United States. His brickyard burned as the result of sparks from a passing steam locomotive. It totally devastated him and he really never recovered from the loss of his income.